Optus Automatically Removing Network Lock From iPhones

Having a network-locked iPhone can be a major nuisance if you want to use a different SIM when travelling overseas. Optus (which dominates the Australian iPhone market) appears to be eliminating that hassle by automatically unlocking iPhones connected to its network.

Brett Winterford at iTnews reports that customers have begun receiving text messages informing them that their phones have been unlocked. Completing the process requires phones to be synced with a computer via iTunes.

Optus' move follows Telstra changing its policies October and unlocking iPhones connected to its network without imposing a charge. However, that still requires Telstra customers to initiate the process.

Comments

Optus has always had free unlocking for iPhones. I had the 3G and had it unlocked for free a month after I started my contract. I still had to initiate the unlock, but its good to see its being automated!

Really the carriers don't care if the phones are locked or unlocked because everyone who has one, is already locked into a 24 month contract. So even if I decide to take my unlocked iPhone and use it on Telstra instead of Optus... I still have to pay Optus the $$$ each month for the agreed contract.

Im visiting Oz from Spain and went into both Telstra and Optus today and neither knew anything about this. OK its recent news, but neither bothered to phone HQ to ask if purchasing one of their sim cards would unlock my Spanish iPhone.
From this report, it appears that connecting to one of their Networks should unlock my Spanish iPhone? But another Optus shop said the unlocking would probably only work on one of their iPhones purchased from their shop. Looks like I need to unlock my iPhone myself??